Cellular and/or body fluid aliphatic polyamine levels are consistently elevated during periods of increased growth such as pregnancy, cellular regeneration, malignant proliferation and end-organ stimulation by hormone administration. A potentially rapid and sensitive method, Radioimmunoassay, to determine polyamine levels requires exploratory evaluation as to suitability for screening, diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of abnormal growth processes in clinical medicine. We propose to conjugate putrescine, spermidine and spermine and certain synthetic congeneres to macromolecular carriers for production of antipolyamine antibodies. Using radioimmunnoassay (RIA) methodology the antipolyamine antibodies harvested from immunized animals will be characterized as to titre, specificity and sensitivity. Antibodies resulting from both linear and T-formation conjugate immunizations will be evaluated and compared. Biological fluid samples (serum, cerebrospinal fluid and urine) will be examined for free polyamines directly by RIA and parallel study samples will be variously extracted, hydrolyzed and column separated to then undergo polyamine RIA. Particular attention will be given to step-wise recoveries. Column eluates will be analyzed by GLC and mass spectroscopy and the results correlated with the RIA findings. Employing the RIA methods developed, appropriate biological fluid samples from cancer patients, normal age and sex matched controls and disease controls will be analyzed and compared.